My Companion has a Word of Wisdom Problem  (week 7 in the field)

June 2,2015

So my companion started drinking and so they have now made me the designated driver. Not that that is any safer. There should probably be a state law in California that says that Hermana Howell can't and shouldn't drive. Okay, so she's not drinking, unless you count water. And who doesn't out here? But I am driving, and California is in danger. Haha, the Elders killed over when they were being nice and tried to back us so Hna Huefner could just get in the car instead, but instead of backing up, I went forward. Elder Myler thought it was Hilarious, but he was a champ, and I don't think he made a big deal of it to the others. Even if he did, I was laughing too! I hadn't driven in 3 months! Gimme a break! 

So another crazy story. We were at Junior and Martha's the other day. (Juinor is 17, RC, and Martha is his Mom. We LOVE them. She's our 2nd mothers.) They are not very well off, but Martha has such a big heart. She always just feeds us and gives us their food--think the "Widow's mite story." So we had been at her house, and she had signed up to feed us, but when we got there there was no food, so we didn't say anything because we didn't want to make her feel bad, or force her to feed us. We just taught them a lesson and So we were getting ready to leave and she's like, "Ah! Hermanas! Why didn't you remind me?!" She starts warming up the food and then fills us up a plate. She'd made this soup with noodles or lentils shaped like tear drops and then some type of spicy meat. She put it all on one plate (not a bowl, so the food kind of mixed together) I was a little hesitant but I didn't want to be rude, and I was hungry, so I started eating it, saving the meat of last. It looked questionable. I get finished with what soup hadn't mixed in with the meat, and then start poking at the meat. I asked her what type of meat it is and she says it's just beef. So I was okay, I'll just have to deal with the spiciness. And so I flip the meat over, trying to get a better go at it, and I freeze!!! Momentarily I begin to GAG! It was a MOUTH!!! There was a bone and a whole set of TEETH AND EVERYTHING!!! I start to ask Martha again, "ahhh, Martha, qual tipo de carne es eso???!!" And then I start laughing, chorteling and the whole shabang because as I look at it longer, I realize it's just the soup, with those tear shaped noodles, lined perfectly up on the bone of the meat. Oh my goodness, it was the funniest/scaried moment of my life! We were all sobbing by the end, because I just was laughing and trying to tell them, "Estaba pensando que fue una boca!!!" between breaths and en spanish. When they figured it out, they started laughing uncontrollably too!! 

Oh man, what a night!

This last Sunday was the Mission President's fireside in Imperial Valley. I actually did a solo of Nearer My God to Thee in front of a lot of people. When I am in a room by myself I can do it super fabulously, but when I'm up in front of people, for some weird reason I get super nervous. So I was super hard on myself and disappointed, but honestly, It really did go well, and It wasn't about me anyways. A lot of people came up later and thanked me. I had orginally auditioned to sing it in Spanish, but she asked me if I would do it in English because they needed one more in the English. And the English fireside had more people show, which was both good and bad ;)

You know that one paper that I send home to you guys with the checklist, the missionary quicknote? Well I think that there should be a box that says I am a good learning experience for my companion. She really puts up with a lot of my craziness and my down days. We're learning how to work together. It takes time, and lots of long conversations, but she is definitely getting longsuffering and patience brownie points. 

Speaking of brownies, we made a compromise with one of our Less Actives. If they don't get starbucks, we don't get starburst or chocolate!! It's killer, but we only have to do it for a month. She actually brought cookies to FHE as a treat and tried tempting up with them ;) It was funny. We are all doing good. 

One of my companion's good friends was the sister missionary from Georgia that passed away in that car accident. She just found out today, so please keep both my companion and her friend's family in your prayers. It is weird to think about how short time really is. It makes us so grateful for the Plan of Salvation. 

A few other funny conversations.

We were talking to Elder and Sister Rielly this morning. They let us use their computers  and do our laundry and feed us gourmet breakfast foods. Anyways they were talking about this sister missionary they know and he's saying, "Oh she's kind of weird. She wants to go to Ireland and places like that. Their into Renaissance and acting, and Warthogs. Stuff like that."

"Oh like Celtic stuff? Cool... Wait... Warthogs? What's warthogs? What does warthogs have to do with anything?"
'You know, like, Warthogs. Warthogs. Oh, I mean, Hogwarts. Like Harry Potter." Ohhhh buddy, I started laughing so hard! It was just too funny! I got up and wrote it down so I'd remember it!

Another one, we were at a baptism for a guy that had basically been Mormon, but finally decided to be baptized. Brother Drury, our ward mission leader was like, "Man, You're dehydrated Mormon. All we need to do is just add water."

Imagine the Lables: Dehydrated Mormon. Just add water.."

Okidoke, I think that is about it for me today! You're all great and I love you!

Con Amor,

Hna Howell